Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 15: Former India captain and chief selector Kris Srikkanth has questioned India’s decision to leave teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out of the playing XI for the opening T20I against Afghanistan, saying the youngster is not being given a fair run in the team.
India faced a familiar selection dilemma at the top of the order following the return of Sanju Samson. The team management opted to open with Samson and Abhishek Sharma, leaving 15-year-old Sooryavanshi on the bench.
The decision came despite Sooryavanshi's impressive recent performances. He was named Player of the Series in India's previous T20I assignment against Zimbabwe after scoring 151 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 196.10.
The teenager had also recently featured in the Duleep Trophy final, leaving him with limited time to switch from red-ball cricket to the T20 format.
Srikkanth said he was surprised by Sooryavanshi's exclusion and revealed that even his wife questioned the decision.
“Yesterday, because Sooryavanshi didn’t play, we started watching a movie. My wife was shouting that Sooryavanshi didn’t play and started arguing that someone who was the Player of the Match in the last match isn’t playing. Even my wife is questioning his exclusion,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
“You are not treating Sooryavanshi properly. Now, if he plays the next match, he’ll wonder whether he’ll be dropped if he doesn’t score,” he added.
The former India selector said the team management should show greater faith in Sooryavanshi, pointing to his performances in domestic cricket as well as the Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals.
Srikkanth also warned that frequent changes at the top of the order could create uncertainty among the batters, with players unsure about the security of their places in the side.
He particularly criticised the way Samson has been handled by the Indian team. Samson had been part of India's starting combination at the beginning of the UK campaign in July but was replaced by Sooryavanshi after three matches. He returned for the seventh and final game of the tour before being rested for the subsequent Zimbabwe series.
According to Srikkanth, neither Samson nor Sooryavanshi is benefiting from being given sporadic opportunities. He urged the team management to adopt a clearer selection policy and give either player an extended run rather than repeatedly rotating them.
“This team management is playing around with Sanju Samson. I pity Samson. Either you give him an extended run and then drop him or give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a run of matches without dropping him. The mistake India are making is both are getting two matches here and there. That’s not good for the player,” Srikkanth said.
India's decision to leave Sooryavanshi out has therefore sparked debate over how the young batter should be managed, particularly after his strong performances in his recent international and franchise appearances.